Coconut Curry Peanut Udon Noodles

Ingredients

• 2 Chicken breasts (sliced into thin long strips)
• 1 tsp Baking soda (for velveting the chicken)
• 1 tsp Soy sauce (for chicken marinade)
• 1 tsp Rice vinegar (for chicken marinade)
• Salt (to taste, for chicken)
• White pepper (to taste, for chicken)
• 3 tbsp Avocado oil (divided; or any high smoke point oil)
• 1 Broccoli crown (cut into florets)
• 1 Red bell pepper (thinly sliced)
• 0.5 Red onion (thinly sliced)
• Salt (to taste, for vegetables)
• 1 tsp Ginger (grated)
• 6 clove Garlic (minced)
• 1 tsp Gochugaru red pepper powder (or red pepper flakes)
• 2 tsp Curry powder
• 4 tbsp Peanut butter (heaping)
• 1 can Coconut milk (approx. 14 oz / 400ml)
• 1 Chicken bouillon cube
• 1.5 tbsp Soy sauce (for sauce)
• 1 tbsp Rice vinegar (for sauce)
• 2 tbsp Oyster sauce
• 2 tbsp Gochujang hot sauce (can substitute with sriracha)
• 1 cup Water
• 4 pc Udon noodles (individual vacuum-sealed packs)
• Crushed peanuts (for garnish)
• Fresh cilantro (for garnish)

Steps

1. 1

   Slice the chicken breast into thin, long strips.

2. 2

   Sprinkle the chicken with 1 tsp baking soda and massage it into the meat. Pour cold water over the chicken and stir to dissolve the baking soda. Let it sit for approximately 15 minutes.

3. 3

   Drain the liquid and briefly rinse the chicken with cold water to remove excess baking soda.

4. 4

   Marinate the rinsed chicken with 1 tsp soy sauce, 1 tsp rice vinegar, and white pepper to taste.

5. 5

   Slice the red bell pepper and red onion into thin slices and cut the broccoli crown into bite-sized florets.

6. 6

   Heat a wok on high-medium heat for 2-3 minutes, then add 1-2 tbsp of avocado oil. Allow about 30 seconds for the oil to get hot.

7. 7

   Toss the chopped vegetables into the wok, season lightly with salt, and stir-fry on high heat for 2-4 minutes. Cook less for crunchier veggies or longer for softer ones. Remove the vegetables from the pan once cooked to your liking.

8. 8

   In the same pan, add another 1-2 tbsp of oil if needed and fry the marinated chicken. This should take 3-6 minutes depending on the thickness of the slices. Once cooked through, remove the chicken from the pan.

9. 9

   Next, sauté the minced garlic, grated ginger, 1 tsp gochugaru red pepper powder, and 2 tsp curry powder for 30-60 seconds until fragrant.

10. 10

    To the pan, add 4 tbsp peanut butter, 1 can coconut milk, 1 chicken bouillon cube, 1.5 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 2 tbsp gochujang hot sauce, and 1 cup water. Mix well to combine all ingredients.

11. 11

    Bring the curry peanut sauce up to a simmer, then add the udon noodles and the cooked chicken.

12. 12

    Cover and simmer on medium heat for about 3-5 minutes, or until the udon noodles are cooked according to the package instructions.

13. 13

    Add the cooked vegetables back into the pan in the last minute of cooking and stir everything to combine.

14. 14

    Garnish with crushed peanuts, fresh cilantro, and lime wedges for extra acidity before serving.

Notes

The baking soda step is a 'velveting' technique that keeps the chicken breast extremely tender. For the gochujang, you can substitute with sriracha or red curry paste if needed. Lime wedges are highly recommended for serving to balance the richness of the peanut and coconut.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• udon
• curry
• peanut
• chicken
• weeknight dinner
• one-pan
• stir-fry